Food safety question. Can hard boiled eggs be packed in a school lunch

[lynn]

and be safe a few hours later, with an ice pac or 2>.  It could be 4 hours between being packed and lunch time.   

[regentrude]

yes. you can keep hard boiled eggs for quite some time, even without refrigeration.

in other countries in the world, even raw eggs are stored without refrigeration. They are on regular shelves in stores.

[lynn]

yes. you can keep hard boiled eggs for quite some time, even without refrigeration.

in other countries in the world, even raw eggs are stored without refrigeration. They are on regular shelves in stores.

 

Thanks.  That's what I thought.  All the food safety guidelines drive me nuts. I remember eating easter eggs that were left out for hours or refrigerated the end of the day and eaten the next but with my own kids I'm paranoid...about a few hours.

[TammyS]

Yes.  Clean eggs in a shell are very, very safe.  I don't always refrigerate my eggs, especially if my fridge is packed (they do deteriorate faster...about 1 week on the counter vs. 3-4 in the fridge, not that they ever last that long at my house....much longer on the counter if they are farm fresh eggs that have not been washed, because they they still have their protective coating).

 

When I was a kid we made a zillion hard boiled eggs for easter and they were left on the table for days as people ate them.  I say hours wouldn't matter AT ALL.

[EmilyGF]

in other countries in the world, even raw eggs are stored without refrigeration. They are on regular shelves in stores.

Don't try this in the USA with commercial eggs, though, because of how the eggs are washed as part of processing.

 

Hard boiled eggs are fine in a lunch box.

 

Emily

[regentrude]

Don't try this in the USA with commercial eggs, though, because of how the eggs are washed as part of processing.

 

Yes, I know (the washing process is not even allowed in Europe, I believe). But those factory eggs are gross anyway, for so many reasons. I'm not big on "everything must be organic" - but eggs I buy from the farmer, from chickens who are actually running around outside eating bugs and not in cages sitting on top of each other.

[Chris in VA]

Agreeing they are fine. If you want to keep them cold (or warm--my kid likes warm eggs only) you can pop one or two (or three,cut up a bit) into a large-mouth thermos.

 

I have a friend who packs hb eggs. She includes a cutter, because it's more fun! lol

 

[vonfirmath]

and be safe a few hours later, with an ice pac or 2>.  It could be 4 hours between being packed and lunch time.   

 

I do.

Unless they are going to be outside all day. In the air conditioned building, no problem. I'm uncomfortable on field trips for some reason.

[73349]

With ice packs, yes.

[G5052]

We do it all the time on picnics.  

[redsquirrel]

I always make our eggs with these, or I did until ds1 got too old, lol.  DS2 still loves them. I have a large selection.

 

[Wheres Toto]

Agreeing they are fine. If you want to keep them cold (or warm--my kid likes warm eggs only) you can pop one or two (or three,cut up a bit) into a large-mouth thermos.

 

I have a friend who packs hb eggs. She includes a cutter, because it's more fun! lol (ETA--omg, sorry so enormous!)

 

Bringing that to school will probably get a kid in trouble, looks too much like a guillotine.   :laugh:  (and can I say that I totally impressed myself by spelling guillotine correctly the first try).

 

 

I always make our eggs with these, or I did until ds1 got too old, lol.  DS2 still loves them. I have a large selection.

 

 

These are adorable if I had kids willing to eat hard boiled eggs.

[gardenmom5]

I would put them in a hot/cold thermos.  they have soup size ones.

[Ravin]

Don't try this in the USA with commercial eggs, though, because of how the eggs are washed as part of processing.

 

Hard boiled eggs are fine in a lunch box.

 

Emily

 

Actually, you CAN go ahead and do this with commercial eggs, but to do it safely you need to coat them in lard. I've done this on a week long camping trip with raw eggs, and they kept just fine in the shade (and highest temps in the low 80's). To be on the safe side, I did cook them hard before serving.

 

As for hard boiled eggs, I like buying them already boiled and peeled (the way Costco sells them), and I'll put a couple in a tupperware with some salt. They hold up just fine in my insulated lunchbox with an ice pack (as do yogurt, leftovers, etc.), 

[redsquirrel]

I had some of those.  They are hard to use!  They ended up in the Play Doh bucket after awhile.  LOL

 

Really? I just boil the eggs, peel while still hot and stick them in the mold. It takes moments and they work great. What part of that did you find hard to use? Peeling the eggs when they are hot?

[Chris in VA]

Yeah I guess the part about burning my fingers off and getting that thing shoved into the mold immediately.  I never could get it to be all that nice.

 

God I love your sarcasm. You consistently crack me up, Dancing Bacon Woman. (That's your Native American name, in case you didn't know.)

[NoPlaceLikeHome]

What about hard boiled eggs without the shell place in a lunch box with ice packs about 5 or 6 hours later?

[Belacqua]

Those animal-face egg molds have set my Hates Clutter Self to warring with my Loves Dorky Kitchen Gadgets Self.

 

I think we all know who will win.

[redsquirrel]

I peel hot eggs like this: I hold an egg in a kitchen towel and thwack it all over with a spoon so the shell cracks all over. Then I put the towel down and peel the egg while holding it under a thin stream of cold running water. Then I pop it in the mold. It takes about 90 second at the most per egg. I keep the egg in the mold until it is time to eat the egg.

 

I hate clutter as well, but things like an egg shaped like a bunny or a fish makes my kids so happy that I tolerate it. And my kids eat a lot of hard cooked eggs so they get used quite often.

[Miss Tick]

I peel hot eggs like this: I hold an egg in a kitchen towel and thwack it all over with a spoon so the shell cracks all over. Then I put the towel down and peel the egg while holding it under a thin stream of cold running water. Then I pop it in the mold. It takes about 90 second at the most per egg. I keep the egg in the mold until it is time to eat the egg.

 

I hate clutter as well, but things like an egg shaped like a bunny or a fish makes my kids so happy that I tolerate it. And my kids eat a lot of hard cooked eggs so they get used quite often.

Thwack is perfect for the sound of a spoon cracking egg shell.

 

I am off on a Google search!!

[Ravin]

What about hard boiled eggs without the shell place in a lunch box with ice packs about 5 or 6 hours later?

 

See my post above. should be fine. i pack my lunch into my backpack around 6, have a 2 hour commute including walking and waiting for buses in temps over 90 for at least 45 minutes of it. Even on days when I forget to put the lunch bag in the fridge when I get there, and the only ice is an ice pack (some days I also have a frozen water bottle shoved in there), cold items are still fine (usually still cold even) at 12:30 when I eat.

[Ravin]

What about hard boiled eggs without the shell place in a lunch box with ice packs about 5 or 6 hours later?

 

See my post above. should be fine. i pack my lunch into my backpack around 6, have a 2 hour commute including walking and waiting for buses in temps over 90 for at least 45 minutes of it. Even on days when I forget to put the lunch bag in the fridge when I get there, and the only ice is an ice pack (some days I also have a frozen water bottle shoved in there), cold items are still fine (usually still cold even) at 12:30 when I eat.